Dokumentet skal være underskrevet, før mødet begynder.

The -et is the definite article attached to the noun.

So:

• et dokument = a document
• dokumentet = the document
• et møde = a meeting
• mødet = the meeting

In Danish, the definite article is usually added to the end of the noun instead of being a separate word like English the.

Here skal means must / is to / has to.

It expresses a requirement or obligation:

• Dokumentet skal være underskrevet = The document must be signed

It is stronger than just saying something is expected. It usually means this is a rule, requirement, or necessary condition.

Both are possible, but they are not exactly the same.

• Dokumentet skal være underskrevet focuses on the completed result: the document needs to already be signed
• Dokumentet skal underskrives focuses more on the action of signing

So in this sentence, skal være underskrevet fits well because the important point is the state of the document before the meeting begins.

A rough contrast:

• Dokumentet skal underskrives = The document must be signed
• Dokumentet skal være underskrevet før mødet begynder = The document must be signed by the time the meeting begins

Underskrevet is the past participle of underskrive (to sign).

• underskrive = infinitive
• underskriver = present tense
• underskrev = past tense
• underskrevet = past participle

In this sentence, the past participle is used with være to describe a completed state:

• være underskrevet = be signed

Være is used to express a state or result.

So:

• skal være underskrevet literally means must be signed
• more precisely, it means must already have the state of being signed

This is why it works well with før mødet begynder. The sentence is not only about the act of signing, but about the document being in the signed condition before something else happens.

Før means before.

It introduces a time clause:

• før mødet begynder = before the meeting begins

It can also be used in other contexts:

• før klokken otte = before eight o’clock
• før vi går = before we leave

Because før introduces a subordinate clause, and Danish word order changes in subordinate clauses.

In a main clause, Danish normally has verb-second word order:

• Mødet begynder snart
• Snart begynder mødet

But after a subordinating word like før, the normal order is:

• subject + verb
• før mødet begynder

So this is standard subordinate clause word order.

Yes, absolutely:

• Før mødet begynder, skal dokumentet være underskrevet.

This means the same thing.

When the subordinate clause comes first, the main clause still follows Danish word order rules, so the finite verb comes before the subject:

• skal dokumentet not
• dokumentet skal

That inversion is very important in Danish main clauses.

Because Danish usually puts the definite article at the end of the noun instead of using a separate word.

So English:

• the document
• the meeting

becomes Danish:

• dokumentet
• mødet

A separate definite word like den/det is used only in certain structures, for example with adjectives:

• dokumentet = the document
• det underskrevne dokument = the signed document

Yes. Inden mødet begynder is also correct and means before the meeting begins.

In many situations, før and inden are both possible. Inden can sometimes sound a little more explicitly time-related, but in a sentence like this, both work well.

For example:

• Dokumentet skal være underskrevet, før mødet begynder.
• Dokumentet skal være underskrevet, inden mødet begynder.

Both are natural.

Because the sentence refers to a specific meeting, not just any meeting.

• før mødet begynder = before the meeting begins
• før et møde begynder = before a meeting begins

The second version sounds more general or less specific. In most real situations, you mean a particular meeting that both speaker and listener know about, so mødet is the natural choice.

It has a passive/resultative feel, but more specifically it describes a state.

• skal underskrives is a more straightforward passive form: must be signed
• skal være underskrevet describes the required end state: must be signed / must have been signed

So yes, it is closely related to passive meaning, but the sentence especially emphasizes that the document must already be in a signed condition.

A very literal breakdown is:

• Dokumentet = the document
• skal = shall / must
• være = be
• underskrevet = signed
• før = before
• mødet = the meeting
• begynder = begins

So the sentence is quite close to English in structure:

• The document must be signed before the meeting begins.

That makes it a nice example of a sentence that is natural in both languages while still showing some important Danish grammar, especially definite noun endings and subordinate clause word order.

Yes.

• begynde = to begin
• begynder = begins / is beginning

In Danish, the present tense is often used in time clauses exactly where English also uses the present tense:

• før mødet begynder = before the meeting begins

So this part is very straightforward.

Yes, in many contexts you could say:

• før mødet starter

That would also mean before the meeting starts.

Both are natural, but:

• begynder is slightly more neutral/formal
• starter can sound a bit more everyday or colloquial in some contexts

For a sentence like this, begynder is a very good standard choice.